Howlin expected to head off rural water charge revolt

THE Minister for the Environment is expected to bring a new package of proposals to Cabinet next Tuesday in an effort to stave off a rural revolt on water charges in the run-up to the general election.

Urgency was given to Mr Howlin's task by the threat by the National Federation of Group Water Schemes to decide today whether to field candidates on the water charges issue in rural constituencies.

The Taoiseach, Mr Bruton, was forced to move swiftly yesterday to emphasise the Coalition's solidarity behind the Minister after another embarrassing incident in the Fine Gael ranks.

Both he and the chairman of the parliamentary party, Mr Phil Hogan, disowned a letter sent by their assistant national press officer, Mr Karl Brophy, to the federation last Thursday night.

In it, Mr Bropby said he had consulted with Mr Hogan "who has informed that (stet) Fine Gael's policy on the issue of group water rate schemes does differ from the approach taken by the Department of the Environment".

Without any prompting from his Coalition partners, Mr Bruton responded yesterday with a sharp statement that Fine Gael policy did not differ from the policy of Mr Howlin on this matter.

He later expanded: "Everybody should know groups at local level or individual members that our party, Fine Gael, is part of a three-party Government: We have no separate policy position on any issue, national or local, from the collective Government position on that issue."

Both Mr Bruton and Mr Hogan described Mr Brophy as "a junior member of the Fine Gael press office", adding that his letter was "a mistake" and issued"without party authority".

In a later attempt to dispel the impression that Mr Brophy (21) was being scapegoated, Mr Bruton said he had every confidence in him and was pleased he had come to work for the party.

It appeared last night that the gaffe did not pose a serious problem for the cohesion of the Coalition. This was because of the swiftness of Mr Bruton's response. But it brought floods of condemnation from Opposition parties.

The Fianna Fail leader, Mr Bertie Ahern, said the Fine Gael debacle over its policy concerning rural group water schemes showed a party in total confusion over an issue of great public importance.

Accusing Fine Gael of "pantomime politics", the PD leader, Ms Harney, said it appeared the Taoiseach was, once again, dumping on a junior official to divert attention from the fact that, while Fine Gael might be in office, it was certainly not in power.